Arsenal yet to agree to terminate Nicolas Pepe’s contract despite agreed terms with Besiktas

Arsenal are refusing to terminate Nicolas Pepe’s contract despite his representatives’ efforts, according to the Daily Express.

The Ivory Coast international forward is not in manager Mikel Arteta’s plans going forward having spent last term on loan in the Ligue 1 with OGC Nice.

Pepe is ready to leave Arsenal and has already agreed personal terms with Besiktas.

The Turkish Super Lig club were promised by the player’s representatives that they would get him for free and will continue talks with the Gunners in their bid to free him from the final year of his deal.

However, Arsenal are hoping to recoup a small fraction of the £72 million they paid Lille to sign Pepe in 2019.

They have spent around £208m on the signings of Kai Havertz, Declan Rice and Jurrien Timber so far this summer and are in talks with Brentford to sign Spain international goalkeeper David Raya.

The North Londoners could make further additions to their squad but are looking to get funds by selling their unwanted players.

Besiktas are ready to move on if they cannot get Pepe for free, and his representatives are hoping they can convince sporting director Edu to get his contract ripped up.

Pepe was in talks to move to Saudi Arabia earlier in the window but it fell through.

A move to the Middle East remains on the card for the forward, while Arsenal could still agree to terminate his deal depending on how talks and things go heading into the last weeks of the summer transfer window.

The Gunners have done some brilliant business in the transfer window in recent seasons, but signing Pepe for a then-club-record fee will go down in history as one of their worst transfers.

It remains to be seen whether they will eventually agree to let the Frenchman go for nothing, but it is safe to say he has played his last game for Arsenal and would be plying his trade elsewhere next term.